Before you hire a roofer in the Florida Panhandle after a storm, look up the state license yourself and get the whole job in writing. Here's how.

The week after a hurricane, the Panhandle fills up with pickup trucks and door hangers. Some of those crews are licensed Florida roofers who came to help. Some aren't. On October 12, Santa Rosa County's building department put out a reminder that contractors from other areas and other states travel in after a major storm, and that a disaster gives unlicensed people a chance to take advantage of owners who need help fast.

You don't need to become a roofing expert to sort them out. You need a few checks that take minutes on government websites, and the nerve to say "I'll call you back" to anyone who wants a signature on the driveway.

This guide comes from the team at Superior Roofing & Restoration, a licensed Florida roofing contractor with a Panhandle office in Miramar Beach. It's general information, not legal advice. Every rule below links to the statute or county page it comes from.

If water is coming in, deal with that first

Hiring the right roofer can take a few days. A wet ceiling can't wait that long.

Santa Rosa County's guidance says owners can take immediate temporary steps to protect a property from further damage, like putting a tarp over a damaged roof. Permanent roofing work may need a permit and inspections. So a tarp now and a careful decision later is a reasonable order of events. Our emergency roof repair page covers tarping. Don't climb onto a wet roof yourself to do it.

Check the license yourself

In Florida, roofing is licensed by the state. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) runs a public lookup at MyFloridaLicense.com, where you can search by name, by license number, by city or county, or by license type.

Don't take a business card's word for it. Look the number up and check that the name on the license matches the name on the contract.

The number has to be out in the open anyway. Section 489.119 of the Florida Statutes says a contractor's registration or certification number must appear on every offer of services, bid, contract and advertisement. If a vehicle carries the company's name, the number has to be displayed on it too. A crew that can't show you a Florida license number is telling you something.

Certified or registered?

A certified contractor can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor can only contract in the local jurisdictions where that registration applies. Both are legitimate. If a license is registered, ask whether it covers your county.

Why it matters more right now

Unlicensed contracting is normally a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida. During a state of emergency declared by the Governor, section 489.127 makes it a third-degree felony.

The Governor's Executive Order 26-202, signed October 6, 2026 for the storm that became Hurricane Isaias, declared a state of emergency in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties, along with other North Florida counties. Santa Rosa County's release put it plainly: a declared emergency doesn't waive permit requirements or authorize unlicensed contracting.

There's also a money reason. Under section 489.128, a contract signed with an unlicensed contractor can't be enforced by that contractor, and they can't put a lien on your house for the work. That protects you on paper. It doesn't fix a bad roof.

Ask who is pulling the permit

The permit tells you a lot about who you're dealing with. The rules depend on where you live:

  • Escambia County requires a re-roofing permit for re-roofs larger than 2 squares. Roofers measure in squares, and one square is 100 square feet of roof. Repairs under 2 squares generally don't need a building permit.
  • City of Pensacola runs its own building inspections office. Permits go through the city's online system, and the city keeps its own contractor registration.
  • Okaloosa County asks, before the final roofing inspection, for photos of the roof deck showing the nailing pattern and photos of the secondary water barrier, with the permit number or address marked on the deck.
  • Walton County puts it in one line on its roof permit sheet: if the owner contracts out the installation or repair of a roof, a licensed roofing contractor must obtain the permit.
  • Santa Rosa County is asking owners to email its building department before starting permanent repairs.

If you're in Bay County, Panama City or Panama City Beach, call the permit office for your address before work starts and ask the same questions.

Florida law also tells local governments in a declared emergency to set up faster permit processing for jobs like roof repairs and reroofing (section 553.7922). So "the permit will take too long" isn't a good reason to skip one.

So ask any roofer whose name goes on the permit. If the answer is yours, ask why. Walton's sheet lets owners permit work on their own property, but when you're hiring someone, the license holder should be the one standing behind the permit.

What a complete roof job includes, in writing

A good contract describes the whole job. The shingles are one line of it. On a Florida reroof, that usually means the old roof coming off, the deck being checked and re-nailed where the code requires it, a secondary water barrier, and the permit and inspections through to the final. Walton and Okaloosa both spell out the deck nailing and secondary water barrier on their reroof paperwork. In some older homes, Florida law also brings the roof-to-wall connection into the job. We cover that in our post on hurricane straps.

Okaloosa's permit packet also asks for a product approval sheet with each product's Florida approval number. It's fair to ask your roofer for those numbers before you sign.

Florida law also requires certain notices in a residential roofing contract:

  • A notice that the contractor can't offer you a gift, cash, rebate or anything else of value to let them inspect your roof (section 489.147). If that notice is missing, you can void the contract within 10 days of signing.
  • During a declared emergency, a cancellation notice in bold type of at least 14 points, right above your signature line (section 489.147).
  • On contracts over $2,500, the construction lien law notice (section 713.015) and a statement about the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund (section 489.1425).

If a contract shows up without them, that tells you how carefully the rest of the job will be run.

You can cancel within 10 days

Under section 489.147(6), if you sign a roof repair or replacement contract within 180 days of the events behind a Governor's emergency declaration, and your house is in the declared area, you can cancel without penalty within 10 days of signing or by the official start date, whichever comes first. The official start date is when a permit is issued, when work installing the final roofing materials begins, or when a code-compliant temporary repair is made.

To cancel, the statute says to send notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, or another mail method that gives you proof, to the address in the contract.

Practically, that means a fast permit can close your window early. If you're unsure, take your time before signing, not after.

Deposits and paying in full

Section 489.126 doesn't cap the deposit. It sets deadlines. A contractor who takes more than 10 percent of the contract price up front has to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless there's just cause or you agreed in writing to a longer period.

After Hurricane Sally in 2020, the Florida Attorney General's office advised homeowners never to pay the full amount of a repair up front and to hesitate before handing over large deposits. The same release suggested asking for lien releases from subcontractors before the final payment, and not signing a certificate of completion until you're satisfied with the work. The lien notice in your contract says much the same thing: a supplier who isn't paid can look to your property for payment, even if you already paid your contractor.

Door knocks and offers that sound too good

Knocking on doors isn't illegal. Some offers are.

Section 489.147 bars a contractor from offering a homeowner a rebate, gift, cash or anything else of value in exchange for letting them inspect the roof. Fines run up to $10,000 per violation. If someone offers you something to get on your roof, that's your answer about them.

The Attorney General's office also warns about crews who say they can do your roof at a discount with supplies left over from another job. And the Governor's emergency order reminds sellers that charging an unconscionable price for services needed because of the emergency is unlawful under Florida's price gouging law, section 501.160. You can report scams to the Attorney General at MyFloridaLegal.com.

How do I know this company is telling me the truth?

Ask to see what they see. A roofer who's been on your roof should be able to show you photos of each problem they're describing, close up and from a distance, so you can tell where on the house it is.

Then ask what a repair would look like. Some storm damage is a repair, and a contractor who only talks about full replacement hasn't answered your question. If someone tells you Florida's 25 percent rule means the whole roof has to come off, read our 25 percent rule explainer first. Our guide to spotting wind damage will help you know what to look for from the ground.

If a roofer won't wait while you look up their license, that's all you need to know.

FAQ

How do I check if a roofer is licensed in Florida?

Search the contractor's name or license number on DBPR's lookup at MyFloridaLicense.com. Make sure the name on the license matches the company on your contract. Florida requires the number on every bid and contract, and in advertising.

Do I need a permit to repair my roof in Escambia County?

Escambia County requires a re-roofing permit for work over 2 squares, which is 200 square feet of roof. Smaller repairs generally don't need a building permit. If you live inside Pensacola city limits, the city's own building inspections office handles permits.

Can I cancel a roofing contract after a hurricane in Florida?

Often, yes. If the contract was signed within 180 days of the events behind a Governor's emergency declaration and your home is in the declared area, section 489.147 lets you cancel within 10 days or by the official start date, whichever comes first. Send the notice by certified mail.

How much should a roofer ask for up front?

Florida's contractor deposit law, section 489.126, doesn't set a cap. If a contractor takes more than 10 percent, they must apply for permits within 30 days and start within 90 days of the permit being issued, unless there's just cause or you agreed to more time in writing.

Book a roof inspection in the Florida Panhandle

If you'd like a licensed roofer to look at your roof, Pedro, who runs our Panhandle inspections, can come out. Our Miramar Beach office covers Pensacola to Panama City Beach. A visit takes about 90 minutes. We walk the roof, take photos of what we find, show you a sample board, take measurements, and give you a firm written number. If it's just a repair, we'll tell you. Look up our license before we come out, we'd rather you did. Call the Panhandle office at 850-987-0656, see our Panhandle page, or book a roof inspection. Florida roofing license CCC1325604. Florida license CBC1265460.

Sources